Page 50 of Shattered Dreams

I hug him back.

“Good luck,” I manage to squeak out as he lets go and hugs his mother. Amelia tells him to have a great day, that she’ll see him later, and Maddox takes his leave. Though when he gets to the doors, just before heading in, he stops, and I tense, but when I see him heading straight for Dre—no, Rylee—I relax. He says something to Dre, who smiles, and then Dre lets go of his daughter’s hand.

Maddox grabs Rylee’s hand, and my heart skips a beat as I watch him slowly head into the school with Rylee, and I swear I feel tears well in my own eyes.

“He’s such a good kid,” Amelia says, and I hear the pride in her voice.

“You did good,” I say, rubbing my eyes.

“No, Paul,” she says softly. “We did good.”

I look at her with a half smile just before catching Dre’s smile as he waves, heading for his car.

All I can do is wave back, but I wish I could do more, but it’ll have to suffice for now. We’ve both got a long day ahead of us.

True to my word, I go home—because I’m starting to think of Dre’s as home, now that I’ve officially let my lease go—and grab the stuffed pink pig and strap both stuffies into the passenger seat so they are riding shotgun when I pick up Rylee from school.

Since my practices are after school on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and alternating Mondays, and Dre’s are Mondays Tuesdays, and Fridays, we agreed it’d be easier for me to pick Rylee up since the elementary school is closer to the middle school, and on Fridays, I can pick up Maddox, too, if he wants.

When the bell rings, it’s insanity as usual, but thankfully, elementary school still has an hour until dismissal, so I don’t have to worry about being late to pick up Rylee. Dre’s parents offered, of course, but with the elementary school being so close, it just made sense since I’d pass it on the way home, anyway. The first couple of weeks are always crazy, no matter what though. After Labor Day, things settle down, and as much as I love my job, both teaching and coaching, going back after spending the summer off is always bittersweet. Especially after this summer, given everything that’s happened.

I don’t know where things changed between us; all I know is that they did, and strangely enough, it wasn’t that big of a deal. But I can’t deny that ever since we got back from New York things have been different, but not in a bad way. It’s the opposite, I guess.

Things between Dre and I are…

Well, I don’t really know what they are.

He’s still my best friend, and in some ways, that hasn’t changed at all; but I also know that you don’t anticipate the next moment you’ll have to kiss your best friend, or fantasize about making out with your best friend while his hard dick grinds against yours the next time the two of you get a night to yourselves, either. Or more for that matter.

Not that we’ve discussed… that. Or anything regarding this unfamiliar territory.

Maybe I should say something, but I’m not even sure what I would say. I just know that I like whatever it is we are doing together.

I like spending time with Dre and Rylee.

I like how easily we’ve fallen into these little routines and movie nights, and how Dre and I are always competing to one-up each other over things like groceries or purposefully annoying each other because we can. Being here, with him and Rylee, it feels like home. Like it used to feel when Amelia and I were married. Sort of.

Which is what I can’t stop thinking about the entire drive—a whopping fifteen minutes—to the elementary school.

Does Dre feel the same? Or am I just overthinking things again?

I park the Jeep in the lot below, knowing it’ll be a hell of a lot easier because the first day of school pickup line is always nuts. Making my way up the stairs, slowly out front, I watch as the kids file out and search for their parents. I don’t even get a chance to look for Rylee. She squeals at the top of her lungs and runs right for me, nearly knocking me over when she hugs my legs. The smile that forms on my face is irrefutable.

“Where are they?” she asks, and I have to peel her off of my legs but I can’t help but chuckle, because her excitement is too damn cute.

“In the car, waiting to hear all about your day.”

She takes off, but I manage to grab her hand and lead her towards the Jeep. She unbuckles her toys and hugs them tight, and my heart melts a little.

“Come on, princess,” I tell her as I urge her to get in the backseat, which thankfully she doesn’t argue about.

The whole drive home—the whopping fifteen minutes—she talks nonstop to her stuffies about everything under the sun. Her teacher, Miss Davis, the funny little boy who didn’t know orange was a color, and the little girl next to her who liked her shoes.

When we get home, she takes off for her room with her animals, and I let her go. She’s excited.

I spend most of my night in the kitchen doing meal prep for myself, and I make double batches so Dre can have stuff to take in his lunch, too. I know how it is, especially during football season. We’re lucky to eat at our desks, if we eat at all some days.

Maybe I should feel weird about being here, taking care of Rylee, but it’s the opposite. I don’t.